Industrial CT Scanning

Nel Pretech now offers A2LA-accredited CT scanning services.

Nel Pretech Corporation is pleased to announce that it now has a new computed tomography (CT) machine called the METROTOM 800, allowing it to offer industrial CT scanning services to its clients. This new acquisition makes the company the first A2LA-accredited lab to offer industrial CT services in the U.S.

Created by Carl Zeiss Corporation, a global leader and manufacturer of precision-measuring instruments, the METROTOM 800 is a new technology. It scans using x-rays to ultimately produce a 3-D digital rendering of the entire volume of a product, including external and internal geometry. Once a scan is complete, Nel Pretech can also provide post-scan engineering and measurement services as required.

Nel Pretech provides A2LA-accredited industrial CT scanning that saves customers time, effort, and money. While CT (computed tomography) scanning is a technology widely known for its medical use, it is also a powerful industrial tool used to examine internal components. Nel Pretech uses CT scanning technology to form 3D models that allow the user to examine the interior and exterior of the item being scanned — providing valuable insight for such industries as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and die-cast manufacturing. Nel Pretech provides expedient inspection reports compared with other industrial CT scanning companies, and focuses on methods that are non-intrusive, accurate and fast.

What is the Concept Behind Industrial CT Scanning?

Industrial CT scanning gives you access to the inner details of items without requiring disassembly (Wikipedia). The process forces X-rays through objects in order to create 3D data sets. This allows for a thorough analysis of object dimensions, porosity, wall thickness, assembly defects, comprehensive comparisons, and reverse engineering. An important benefit of this process is that it is non-intrusive and does not damage the item being scanned. The information taken from the CT scan can then be compared to the CAD model, to other parts, or to other data sets. Nel Pretech gives you the option of user-definable color patterns so that you can then more easily analyze surface variations. Another useful feature is the ability to use cross sections for otherwise hidden features.

Nel Pretech’s CT scanning is an excellent tool for helping customers detect part flaws, determine the cause of a product failure, reassemble an item, or reverse-engineer a part.

CT Scanning Bureau Details

Nel Pretech Corporation has been a leading metrology service provider since 1993 and has completed over 10,000 inspection and scanning projects on complex parts

CT Scanning technology is well suited to reduce part development time/cost

Maximum Part size: 300mm diameter x 350 mm tall

Scan time is typically less than one hour

Accuracy (using Calypso) 9+L/50 microns

Turnaround is typically 72 ARO

Free viewer provided with the scan results

Web conferencing used to share results

Industrial CT Scanning at Nel Pretech

We’re fast. You receive your first article inspection report in days.

We help you save money. By giving you the ability to inspect without disassembling — and by expediting the design and development process — you save on operating costs.

Our process is non-destructive, giving you the ability to inspect internal and external geometry.

We don’t require fixturing or clamping forces, which can distort the part.

Our process helps you increase production ability with faster prototypes and replications without relying on CAD files.

Our X-ray based measurement system is non-contact (no force).

Parts do not require potting.

We’re accurate. In fact, plastic color and depth-of-feature will not affect accuracy or repeatability, which can be a problem with Part-CAD comparisons.

Our process lets you quickly determine whether a part has any critical defects.

We provide an option for extensive porosity (voids) and wall thickness reports.